Ridge Augmentation

Portrait of a happy senior woman enjoying a day in the park.

When a tooth has been extracted, or periodontitis has affected a patient’s bone, the ridge around our teeth deteriorates or changes shape. The ridge, also known as the alveolar ridge, needs to be properly formed in order to support a synthetic tooth, such as a dental implant, or to improve the structure of the mouth. Star28 Dental Clinic offers ridge augmentation as a way for patients to take back control of their oral health.

Why Do I Need Ridge Augmentation?

After a tooth is extracted, the bone will change shape in accordance to the change in structure. Hard tissue is no longer needed to protect a tooth, and so the ridge begins to deteriorate. After some time, the tooth socket is no longer in a shape that could support an implant. 

In this case, our dentists will need to perform ridge augmentation, in order to encourage the correct shape of bone and tissue around the tooth socket, to allow an implant to be fitted. Tooth extraction, without any maintenance to the shape of the socket, can lead to bone shrinkage and changes to the shape of the jaw. It can also lead to teeth misalignment, as the teeth move towards the now vacant space of the tooth socket.

Procedure and Care

The tooth socket will be thoroughly cleaned, and the bone grafting material will be placed. Before the procedure, our dentist will discuss the treatment with you, including a check of your medical and dental history, as well as some of your lifestyle choices that could affect the treatment. It is advised to quit smoking during the months surrounding this treatment, as smoking has a detrimental effect on the strength of the jawbone. 

The dentist will also discuss with you the different types of bone grafting material. The grafting material will either come from one of your own bones, a donor’s bone, a synthetic bone, or an animal’s bone. Your own bone is the most reliable, but will require another surgical procedure to extract it. 

The recovery process is more delicate than other dental treatments. For the first 48 hours, brushing, rinsing and touching the mouth and the affected area must be avoided, as dislodging the grafting material is possible. Blowing your nose, chewing on hard objects, and using a straw is inadvisable until a couple of weeks after the procedure. Our dentists will be able to give a detailed recovery plan, but avoiding hard and spicy foods is advised, as is anything that could generally affect the sensitive area. 

Some pain and discomfort will be experienced over the first 2 weeks after the procedure. Our dentist will typically prescribe medication to help ease the pain. Strenuous exercise should be avoided. 

If you are expecting a tooth implant after the healing process is complete, our dentists will be able to tell you when the tissue is ready for the procedure. Otherwise, the maintenance of good oral health will ensure the upkeep of your alveolar ridge. 

Star28 Dental Clinic can help you with your next dental implant. Book your consultation appointment with us now. Call us at (714) 523-2828.